Illness/Sickness: Salt Bath and White Spot Questions

[Sky Diamond]

I've posted about three threads now, and after a week I've finally worked out my axolotl does have white spot, as he has developed more spots, that are not fluffy.

Long story short, I bought feeding fish - neon tetras - and I thought one had white spot but there was nothing I could do with them, so I just put them in the tank and hoped for the best.
He seemed to have only developed two spots that were so hard to see I thought maybe he had had them the whole time I've had him, a total of two weeks yesterday. But yesterday we had our power cut and now he has more spots on his body.

He is eating, we gave him a worm last night and if we can find another today I'll give him another night. He seems fine. Still active.

My tank was cycled for three weeks before I got him, though about a week before, I had to almost clean it out completely due to a plant dying and messing up the water. My tank is 60 litres / 13 Gallons and he is 19.7cm.

My questions are:

-- How do you make a salt bath?

-- How do you catch an axolotl without stressing us both out? My guy is a tank jumper under stress, so it scares me to catch him.

-- Does it matter if a little salt goes into his tank?

-- What should I do with his tank after doing a salt bath? I cannot fridge him as our fridge would freeze him.

 

[calpolybobby]

search salt baths, there is a great salt bath picture tutorial. Also gives advice on fridging too which may help. Just used it for my newt (salt not firdging). You need to rinse the salt off after the bath before putting your buddy back in its quarantine.

Can't help you on the other questions, I'll leave it to the axie guys

Cheers

 

[melfly]

Hi

Sorry to hear about your problems.
As above, search the salt bath tutorial.

I find catching with hands rather than a net is quicker and safer.
Both hands more than likely if your lotl is a decent size.

Try to get one hand in front of his face and front legs otherwise he'll likely slip through your fingers. Obviously be gentle, careful of long nails etc.
Have the bucket as close to the tank as possible and as high up as the top of the tank as possible to avoid accidently dropping him a great height (you could kill him)

Just be patient but quick.
He will be scared and startled but you are doing it for his own good.

Once out of the tank could you keep him in a bucket as long as you do water changes and make sure he cant jump out.
It wouldn't hurt if a 'little' salt got in the big tank.

Mel

 

[Sky Diamond]

Okay thank you so much guys. I was thinking of putting him in a smaller tank I've got, its about 21 litres, while this whole thing is getting treated and resetting up his old tank. Does he need a filter? And should I feed him while treating? He's not thin but not fat either.

 

[Sky Diamond]

Okay, I have the tank up and going, I put a plant of his in the tank and about 20% of his water. Going to leave it over night just so it can settle and then tomorrow I'll do his salt bath and clean out his old tank and get it back up and going.